Savannah magazine September/October 2020

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

featuring our annual

READER-VOTED guide to the

BEST of SAVANNAH Don’t miss the frameable art insert in every issue this year!

Vol.31 No.7 $6.99

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Original painting by Bellamy Murphy

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S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R

2 0 2 0

J EREMIA H HU LL

T A S T E CONTENTS

137

107

DINING WITH A TWIST

126

Neighborhood restaurants embrace outdoor dining.

By Steven Alford

114

CAR CULTURE

Automobiles are inspiration and art form for three designers.

By Gracie Williams

121

VOTE OF THANKS

Savannah’s 20th century suffragists fought for equality.

By Sarah Domet

LA U REN JON ES

99

COU R TESY OF CRA SH JEWELRY

COU R TESY OF FLOCK TO THE WOK

114

47

30 PLACES WE LOVE

Savannah magazine staff shares a few can’t-miss destinations.

137

BEST OF SAVANNAH 2020

Our reader-voted poll reveals the best local businesses.

189

BEST DOCTORS 2020

Meet the esteemed professionals keeping Savannah healthy.

Interviews by Andrea Goto

ON TH E COVER

This original painting by Best of Savannah honoree Bellamy Murphy celebrates our pearl anniversary.

Photo by Beau Kester

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

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J A SON B. J A M E S

CONTENTS

SALT OF THE CITY

239 Racing to Preserve Culture

Honors the Class

2020 Honors the Class of

vannah Country Day School

2020

The Savannah Country Day School

2020 earned admission to 105 colleges and cated in 27 states and the District of Columbia. these 67 graduates were offered scholarships than $2.95 million collectively from all admitting ddition to the HOPE awards. The impressive,

Theof Class of 2020 earned admission 105right) colleges ted, list admitting schools (to to the is and a universities located in 27 states and the District of Columbia. our talented students who embrace a rigorous Additionally, these 67 graduates were offered scholarships totaling morepersonalized than $2.95 million collectively all admitting hile receiving collegefrom guidance

colleges—in addition to the HOPE awards. The impressive, and abbreviated, list of admitting schools (to the right) is a testament to our talented students who embrace a rigorous curriculum while receiving personalized college guidance from our team of experienced counselors.

m of experienced counselors.

he Country Day difference!

25.8800 to learn more about Discover the Country Day difference! nah Country Day School.

Call 912.925.8800 to learn more about The Savannah Country Day School.

savcds.org

University of N Bard College Chapel Hill Barnard College Tulane Univers Boston College The United Sta Case Western Reserve Academy Pre University The University Davidson College Davis Duke University The University Emory University Irvine at Georgia University of North Carolina Bard College Institute of Chapel Hill Barnard College The University Technology Tulane University Boston College Santa Barbar Harvard The United States Military Case WesternCollege Reserve Academy Preparatory School University The University Lafayette College The University of California, Davidson College Santa Cruz Massachusetts Institute of Davis Duke University The University of University California, Emory University of F Technology Irvine Georgia Institute of of G New York University The University of University California, Technology Harvard College Northeastern University Santa Barbara University of M The University of California, Lafayette College University of R Princeton University Santa Cruz Massachusetts Institute of University of V Purdue University of Florida TechnologyUniversity University of Georgia New York University Vanderbilt Uni Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University of Miami Northeastern University Villanova Univ Sarah University Lawrence CollegeUniversity of Richmond Princeton University of Virginia Purdue University Virginia Polyte Southern Methodist University Vanderbilt University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Syracuse Villanova Universityand State Un Sarah LawrenceUniversity College Virginia Polytechnic Institute Southern University Wake Forest U Texas Methodist Christian University and State University Syracuse University Worcester Poly Wake Forest University Texas Christian University Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Service | Knowledge | Character Service | Knowledge

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EDITOR’S LETTER

ESTABLISHED MAY 1, 1990

Savannah magazine’s mission is to celebrate the new and enduring voices of our city’s culture, commerce and creative community.

Elegant and relevant. Authentic and fun. That’s your Savannah, and this is your magazine.

To subscribe and save nearly 60 percent off the newsstand price, go to savannahmagazine.com or call 800.453.1049.

For address changes and other concerns, contact savannahmag @emailcustomerservice.com.

MOLLY HAYDEN

Send pitches, ideas and feedback to editor@savannahmagazine.com.

Add events to the online calendar at savannahmagazine.com/calendar.

THE BEST OF SAVANNAH ISSUE has long been a favorite among readers, but it also has personal significance for me. My very first piece for the magazine appeared in a September/October issue. Some years later, the September/October issue marked my first as managing editor. Now, I’m pleased to welcome you to the issue as its editor.

In a year marked by unprecedented challenges, our annual reader-voted Best of Savannah poll recognizes the many businesses that uphold the Hostess City. You might realize that it’s been a few months since you’ve popped into a particular winner or runner-up establishment. You might notice that some of them are temporarily closed. Given our magazine’s 30th anniversary — the pearl anniversary — a quote from mystic poet Rumi comes to mind: “What strikes the oyster shell does not damage the pearl.” Despite economic and practical hardships, Best of Savannah winners (and all local businesses) still gleam. And together, we’re Making the Best of It. Which brings us to the Best of Savannah party. Out of an abundance of precaution for the health and safety of our community, we’ve decided to cancel the soirée, yet still make the best of it. From Oct. 1–3, visit bestofit2020.ggo.bid to bid on incredible products and services from Best of Savannah honorees and generous advertisers. It’s online shopping you can feel good about: proceeds from this online auction benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire, America’s Second Harvest and Safe Shelter. We’ll also be auctioning off the positively stunning cover art, an original Bellamy Murphy painting we commissioned to commemorate our pearl anniversary — for more details, visit pages 184–185.

Years ago, for a different publication, I interviewed an acclaimed psychiatrist about how to handle life’s many challenges (if she weren’t practicing in Manhattan, no doubt she’d be included in our annual Best of Doctors on page 189). “Low notes add richness to the symphony of life,” she told me. It struck a chord with me, to extend the metaphor, because without the occasional somber tones, high notes — those moments of joy and unfettered happiness — wouldn’t resonate quite so profoundly. I hope you’ll hear the high notes loud and clear in this celebratory issue.

Sara Watson Editor

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An oyster toadfish swims above the sand at Gray’s Reef, in front of a densely populated ledge

THE

SUBLIME SANCTUARY

Gray’s Reef is protected — but it’s still ours to explore Written by JESSICA LEIGH LEBO S

JUST OFF THE COAST 74

SAVANNAHMAGAZINE.COM

Photography courtesy of GRAY’S REEF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY

J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 2 0

CORRECTIONS

75

In “The Sublime Sanctuary Just Off the Coast” (July/ August 2020), Gray’s Reef’s location and safety prohibitions were inaccurately described.

Please visit savannahmagazine. com/the-sublime-sanctuary-justoff-the-coast to learn more about this underwater oasis that lies 20 miles straight east of Sapelo Island.

In “At Home: Family Room” (July/August 2020), the homeowners are Steven Price and Libby Boyden Price. Their last name was listed incorrectly in the home tour article.

THANK YOU F O R YO U R V OT E S !

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ESTABLISHED MAY 1, 1990 Savannah magazine’s mission is to celebrate the new and enduring voices of our city’s culture, commerce and creative community. Elegant and relevant.

Authentic and fun. That’s your Savannah, and this is your magazine.

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Address letters and editorial contributions to Savannah magazine, P.O. Box 1088, Savannah, GA 31402. Copyright 1990-2020 by Southeastern Newspapers Company LLC. All rights reserved. Savannah magazine (ISSN 10616748) is published bi-monthly with bonus issues in April, June and October for $19.95 per year by Southeastern Newspapers Company, LLC, trading as Savannah magazine, 1375 Chatham Parkway, Savannah, Georgia 31405. Periodical postage paid at Savannah, Georgia, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Savannah magazine, P.O. Box 433237, Palm Coast, Florida 32143-9616

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CONTRIBUTORS

Lauren Jones

Andrea Goto

Jeremiah Hull

Maggie French

P H OT OG R AP HE R

WR I T ER

PHOTOGRAPHER

ILLUST RAT OR

“Autumn Breeze,” page 47

“Best of Doctors 2020,” page 189

“Pearls Go with Everything,” page 137

“Dining with a Twist,” page 107

WELCOME TO WINDOWS THAT NEVER COMPROMISE CHOOSE A HIGHER STANDARD

Photography by Shamrock Drones

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HAIR AND M A K EUP A RT IST

“Vote of Thanks,” page 121

Bellamy Murphy painting cover

“Racing to Preserve Culture,” page 239

“Autumn Breeze,” page 47

Dr. Michael Chisner with his mother, Sharon

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FROM OUR READERS

Savannah wouldn’t be the best without its people. (That’s you!)

NEXT UP: The Good Issue.

Share your do-good, feel-good holiday moments for a chance to be featured in our November/December issue — simply tag @savannahmagazine and use #savannahmagazine on Instagram.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

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TA S T E BUZZ

CO UR T E S Y OF BL EN D + PR E S S WE LL NE S S BA R

S A V A N N A H

New in 912

SQUEEZE MORE OUT of life at Blend & Press Wellness Bar’s pop-up location downtown (102 E. Liberty St.) … Make your liquor and drink it, too, at Florida Georgia Spirits Co. and Odd Birds Bar (120 Whitaker St.).

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

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BUZZ

MUST READ

GHOST STORY

As Halloween draws near, the distinction between tour guides in 18th-century frocks and actual ghosts wandering the streets can get a little hazy. But nobody in Savannah seems to mind. From hearses full of (living) passengers, often seen circling the Sorrel Weed House, to the legend of Little Gracie Watson at Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannahians love to indulge in the city’s paranormal past.

It’s no wonder, then, that author Jessa Dean chose the city as the subject of her new children’s book, The Ghostly Tales of Savannah, the latest installment of the “Spooky America” series. The book retells Savannah’s most iconic hauntings for a middle-schoolaged audience, combining local history with shivers-down-your-spine goodness. Pick it up from E. Shaver, Bookseller (it’s on shelves now) — and keep an eye out for spirits along the way. —SYLVIE BAGGETT

22

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“ G ROU P B ,” 2 0 1 9 , COU R TESY OF B EN J A MIN JON E S

The fully functioning distillery specializes in vodka, gin and Carribean rums, while the on-site bar offers upscale craft cocktails … Wood-fired fare and good beer — Hop Atomica (535 E. 39th St.), a microbrewery and gastropub in Baldwin Park, has all the necessities … Sometimes, you just have to ride it out.

Cyclebar Midtown (5525 Abercorn St., Unit 50), an indoor cycling space, will help you pedal toward your fitness goals … Surcheros Fresh Mex (8108 Abercorn St., Ste. 420) partners with local farmers and growers to create burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos and other Tex-Mex favorites with a homemade feel … Treat yourself to a personalized facial at Thrive Skin Studio (1100 Eisenhower Drive, Ste. 15, Studio 23), which also offers waxing and brow and lash services … The needle in the haystack: Front Porch Community Acupuncture (210 W. Victory Drive) emphasizes accessibility, affordability and effectiveness for its patients.

Wit and Whimsy Benjamin Jones solo exhibition is “meant to make you think” Written by SARAH TAYLOR ASQUITH

PIVOT. IT’S BECOME a ubiquitous expression — and an essential action — since coronavirus changed business as we know it.

For gallerist Susan Laney, the about-face was swift. Less than a week after the shelter-in-place order was issued in March, Laney Contemporary launched Present Tense, an ongoing Instagram Live series of artist interviews and

virtual studio tours. Next up was an online exhibition with the New Art Dealers Alliance, or NADA, and Artnet, followed by another with NADA and Artlogic. (Of NADA’s 185 members, Laney Contemporary is one of only three in Georgia.) After that, the gallery participated in “Not Cancelled,” a weeklong digital art event showcasing a select group of galleries in the South.

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Visit online for more information LatitudeMargaritaville.com Obtain the Property Report required by Federal law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. WARNING: THE CALIFORNIA BUREAU OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED, OR QUALIFIED THE OFFERINGS. Pennsylvania Registration Numbers OL00169(Latitude Margaritaville at Daytona Beach) and OL001170 (Latitude Margaritaville at Hilton Head). Latitude Margaritaville at Daytona Beach and Latitude Margaritaville at Hilton Head are registered with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salesmen, 1000 Washington Street, Suite 710, Boston, MA 02118 and with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20552. This material shall not constitute a valid offer in any state where prior registration is required and has not been completed. Development plans, amenities, facilities, dimensions, specifications, prices and features depicted by artists renderings or otherwise described herein are approximate and subject to change without notice. ©Minto Communities, LLC 2020. All rights reserved.

Content may not be reproduced, copied, altered, distributed, stored, or transferred in any form or by any means without express written permission. Latitude Margaritaville and the Latitude Margaritaville logo are trademarks of Margaritaville Enterprises, LLC and are used under license. Minto and the Minto logo are trademarks of Minto Communities, LLC and/or its affiliates. CGC 1519880/CGC 120919. 2020

“My work is meant to make you think, to stop you for a minute.

To me, that’s what an artist is supposed to do. It’s got to say something powerful.”

In 2017, Susan Laney opened Laney Contemporary in order to provide a platform for emerging and established contemporary artists.

Just west of Savannah’s Historic District and housed in a Lee J. Meyer building, Laney Contemporary exhibits a dynamic selection of solo and themed exhibitions featuring regional and international artists.

PA RK E R S T E WA R T

— Benjamin Jones

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“When social distancing started, we wanted to inspire and connect people by engaging them with artists who we find inspiring,” Laney says. “The learning curve was huge, but we were able to transition and make it a great opportunity to share a range of inside views from these artists.”

In mid-June, Laney Contemporary reopened with a double billing: Blanche Nettles Powers: Structure of Comfort and Clerestory, the latter a group show of recent work by Abel Macias, Ben Tollefson, Betsy Cain, Hasani Sahlehe, Katherine Sandoz, Namwon Choi and Trish Andersen, of

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” WA ITIN G FOR SELECTION ,“ 2 0 1 8 , COU R TE SY OF BE N J A M I N J ON E S

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which a portion of its sales were donated to the artist’s organization of choice. Laney has since arranged additional auctions and partnerships to raise money for advocacy groups working against systemic racism.

Which brings us to the now: Laney is ushering in the fall season with a solo show by the esteemed Benjamin Jones, an award-winning, Atlanta-born, Tybee Island-based artist who has pieces in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. His Savannah show, Work: 1994-2020, is a drawings-focused exhibition that offers a glimpse into the artist’s genius mind via a “mark-making” medium that’s uniquely his own, infused with components from media clippings, collected ephemera and 40 years’ worth of daily journaling.

“My work is meant to make you think, to stop you for a minute,” Jones says of his haunting and whimsical compositions. “To me, that’s what an artist is supposed to do. It’s got to say something powerful.”

Jones prefers to work in themes, categorizing his art into chapters of life. There are macro subjects such as love, loss and isolation, while micro ones have included everything from queens and animals to Donald Trump and Jones’ “main muse,” Meryl Streep.

Most recently, Tybee Island has served as a prime inspiration. “I have a bit of a hard side when it comes to what’s going on in the world, but since living here, I’ve noticed there’s more color in my work — the sunsets, marshes and landscapes come into play, and everything feels a little bit more gentle and sweet, so to speak,” Jones says. “I like to call it a new beginning.”

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Sweet Harmony With a new maestro and revamped youth programming, Savannah Philharmonic stays in sync Written by STEVEN ALFORD

AMERICAN CONDUCTOR Leonard Bernstein once said: “Life without music is unthinkable.”

Although the coronavirus shut down many aspects of the arts this spring, the Savannah Philharmonic believes the show must go on. And soon, the curtain will rise again.

After carefully analyzing safety measures and protocols, the Savannah Philharmonic is set to bring a revised 2020-2021 season to audiences beginning this fall that will include a mix of live and streamed performances.

“Art is more important than ever right now, whether it’s uplifting, enlightening, entertaining or just simply distracting,” says Edward J. Lada, Director of Artistic Operations.

Each season, the nonprofit orchestra presents a full range of concerts from classical works to modern-day pop songs. But this season is like no other before: the Philharmonic is rolling out a new digital platform allowing anyone to experience the orchestra from anywhere in the world.

Although not intended as a replacement for live performances, Philharmonic staff say the digital platform will be made available as an extra option that will remain for audiences moving forward. For this fall’s live performance lineup, Savannah Philharmonic staff are working closely with local venue operators who share

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Savannah Philharmonic music and artistic director Keitaro Harada

the organization’s commitment to the health and safety of its musicians, patrons and staff. Performances will be both indoors — where event staff can ensure adequate ventilation, sterilization and space for performers and audience — as well as outdoors in an open-air environment.

“At SavPhil we see the current situation as an opportunity to be extremely creative and to not let the traditional ways hold us back,” says the Philharmonic’s new maestro, Keitaro Harada.

Despite obstacles, this year is one worth celebrating, too: Harada has been named associate conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, bringing an international connection and profile to the Savannah Philharmonic and the city of Savannah alike.

“Kei’s exceptional artistic and leadership credentials and skills wowed our music director search committee from the moment we met him,” says Board of Directors Chairman Scott Lauretti. “He is an ascendant star in the orchestra world.”

Although he will be working with the Tokyo orchestra, Harada’s primary responsibilities remain with the Savannah Philharmonic — and his primary residence remains in the Hostess City. As music and artistic director, he says his goals for the company are to inspire people with music, performed with great artistry, while continuing to draw inspiration from the community.

“We will include and welcome people from all backgrounds and perspectives on this musical journey with us,” he says.

One special way the Savannah Philharmonic reaches the next generation of enthusiasts is through its Link-Up program, which provides musical training for area students.

The Link-Up Young Person’s Concerts, a collaboration with

Students learn (and play) in the LinkUp Young Person’s Concerts program, a collaboration between the Savannah Philharmonic and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute.

Photography by CLAUDIA HERSHNER

Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, are presented after students study a three-month curriculum provided by Carnegie Hall, which includes learning the recorder flute, singing a range of melodies and songs, composing their own musical works, and learning music history and biographical information about classical composers.

Once the curriculum is completed, students join the Savannah Philharmonic on stage for their own debut performance, playing their recorder flutes and singing alongside the orchestra. This summer, the Savannah Philharmonic was awarded grants enabling it to safely present the 2021 Link-Up Young Person’s Concert curriculum in a digital format, partnering with Savannah-Chatham County Public School System schools. The move also allows the organization to vastly expand it’s reach.

During the 2019-2020 season, more than 2,800 local students studied the curriculum, and about 1,600 played along on stage with Savannah Philharmonic musicians. The new digital format now gives the Philharmonic the ability to enrich the lives of more than 5,000 area students with in-depth music lessons and their very own recorder flute.

“Music education provides so many benefits: improved concentration, reading and arithmetic skills, but above all, deep down, music brings joy and inspiration,” says development and patron services associate Frances C. Colón. “Students need that.”

For more information about upcoming shows and events, follow the Savannah Philharmonic on social media or visit online at savannahPhilharmonic.org

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INSPIRE..

INSPIRE SOUTH END

Charlotte. A lot of inspiring encounters will leave you wondering how you’ve never experienced them before. Local muralist Nick Napoletano’s brilliant work is generating positivity during these uncertain times. Whether you’re letting your imagination run wild or marveling at something truly amazing, these cultural masterpieces will awaken your inner artist. charlottesgotalot.com

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Blue Period Namwon Choi adeptly plays with distance FOR ARTIST AND PROFESSOR Namwon Choi, blue is the color of distance. “I found that faraway objects tend to appear as a pale, dull, cool grey-blue, as if they melt back into the background,” she says. Such distance is literal, but it also evokes the figurative space between her life in two countries, South Korea and the United States.

Transience and “in-betweenness” ground Choi’s experience as an artist, and it’s in part why time and again she reaches for rich ultramarine rather than a more subdued shade. “A deep and vibrant blue like ultramarine brings what seems far away in reality up close,” she says of her monochromatic landscapes, which feature numerous vanishing points (the point of convergence that creates perspective).

Choi’s works also allude to traditional Korean ink-wash paintings, a medium she spent eight years learning. “My references to Korean ink painting are a way for me to acknowledge my cultural

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heritage while at the same time pursuing my own current interests,” she says.

Those interests are lofty: Choi aims to bolster painting as an art form in an age where the boundaries between cultures and nations, and between artistic styles and media, are dissolving. This, in turn, leads to an important dialogue between Choi and her students at Savannah College of Art and Design.

“Namwon’s creative expertise inspires SCAD students in the foundation studies classrooms,” says Rachel Evans Grant, director of SCAD Art Sales.

“Her adroit application of monochromatic blue motivates viewers to learn

more about her art practice.”

Ultramarine catches a viewer’s eye, to be sure, but it’s Choi’s repetition of geometric shapes that invites further inspection. “It’s borrowed from a Korean writing system composed of a combination of lines and circles only,” Choi explains. A line represents humans, who are the mediators between sky (represented by circles) and earth (represented by squares).

Savannah is yet another muse. “It’s the city of my artistic growth,” she says, noting that her signature blue painting series — so heavily influenced by Korea — emerged right here in the Hostess City.

“My references to Korean ink painting are a way for me to acknowledge my cultural heritage while at the same time pursuing my own current interests.”

— Namwon Choi

PROFESSIONAL CURATION, CUSTOM COMMISSIONS, AND WHITE-GLOVE INSTALLATION Claire Rosen, B.F.A., photography, 2006, Parakeet 1, archival pigment print, 60" x 40"

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SEPTEMBER EVENTS

3 Bid on a trip to Alaska and other sought-after items at Hospice Savannah’s virtual Summer Nights Party & Auction.

have what it takes?

Tools and Skills that Built a Colony workshop is at Wormsloe Historic Site.

Take an Overnight Turtle Hatching Trip at Ossabaw Island.

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Telfair Museums hosts Director’s Circle Virtual Exhibition Preview of Youthful Adventures: Growing Up In Photography.

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Practice your haggling skills at one of Keller’s Flea Market’s 60 booths.

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Savannah Food Truck Festival hosts dozens of food trucks, live music and more.

17 Race on your own in support of the 2020 Komen Savannah Virtual Race for the Cure.

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| Isle of Hope Art and Music Festival is an all-day event featuring local talent.

24 | Experience a historical trip through time led by candlelight at Fort McAllister State Park’s Candle Lantern Tour.

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spookiest time of the year with a ghost tour or visit to the Graveface Museum.

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Faith Restored Preservationists and surprising technology help save a 19th-century church Written by ARIEL FELTON

IN 2019, the congregation of Savannah’s Asbury United Methodist Church celebrated its 150th anniversary by taking a vote: renovate and restore its 19th-century building, or sell it and move to another location. The congregation voted to stay and appointed church member Odessa Lovett as chairperson of its renovation team.

“In order to be effective in your ministry, you have to take care of the house

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in which you’re going to conduct those ministries,” Lovett says.

But such a vast overhaul required the help of industry professionals like Ryan Arvay, director of preservation and historic properties at the Historic Savannah Foundation. For Arvay and HSF, keeping the Asbury United Methodist Church congregation in its community — on Abercorn Street in the Victorian District

— was just as important as saving the brick-and-mortar building.

“We’ve seen a trend of older congregations selling their buildings because church attendance is down, congregations are shrinking or getting older,” Arvay says.

“Historic churches are being turned into apartment buildings or rental venues, but we just didn’t want to see that happen.”

The multiphase initiative to restore

Photography courtesy of ASBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

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Stained glass inside Asbury United Methodist Church

Asbury began with a preliminary conditions assessment in April of this year, conducted by students at Savannah College of Art and Design under the direction of preservation design professor Sabrina Cox. “Sabrina was just very warm and encouraging, and she shared our vision for preserving the building and wholeheartedly wanted to engage her students,” Lovett says. “They saw the beauty of our church, even with its blemishes.”

Asbury is the only African-American congregation in Savannah’s Victorian district under the United Methodist Church.

Its first members include the late S. L. White, who helped to establish Black Boy Scout troops in Savannah.

Although ownership of Asbury was transferred to its current congregation in 1927, the building is much older. The original structure, dating back to the late 1800s, was built with wood siding. As the congregation grew, the building was remodeled to include additional classrooms and support space for the congregation. That same renovation also included adding a brick veneer and relocating the primary entrance.

The information gathered from this assessment prompted Arvay to connect the church with another local resource.

“I realized the work that Shamrock Drones was doing to document HSF properties would be really useful for Asbury as well,” Arvay says. HSF donated drone service to the church, hiring Shamrock Drones to complete a 3D scan of “every single nook and cranny of the building.”

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Architect and owner of Shamrock Drones Ryan Murphy made three separate trips to Asbury, capturing 360-degree images with a proprietary camera popular in the real estate market for creating virtual tours.

“It was a long process, but I was fascinated by what I was able to learn,” Murphy says. “One of the bell towers didn’t have a

“Ultimately, preservation is about people. Buildings without people serve no purpose, and the original use of a building is always the best fit.”

— Ryan Arvay, Historic Savannah Foundation ladder or platforms for me to logistically make the camera work, so I ended up flying one of my smallest but most reliable drones inside the bell tower, just to be able to identify even more data.”

All of these images were then knitted together to create a 3D model that helps better visualize issues such as water infiltration and termite damage. The model can be used by contractors or architects

exploring options for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance or how to better utilize the basement.

“This has been extremely helpful in prioritizing restoration efforts, especially since, during coronavirus, it’s much harder to get people to come out and look at a building,” Arvay says.

Asbury is currently fundraising for phase one of building restoration: fixing the roof. According to Lovett, they’ve raised close to $10,000. Other upgrades will include repairing brick veneer, making the building ADA compliant and restoring historic ocular windows that were covered by previous renovations.

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation included Asbury on its 2020 list of Places in Peril, which raises awareness about Georgia’s significant historic, archaeological and cultural resources.

HSF will continue to advise the church in applying for grants, and even Murphy of Shamrock Drones hopes to be included in the next steps.

“Ultimately, preservation is about people,” Arvay says. “Buildings without people serve no purpose, and the original use of a building is always the best fit.”

At Asbury, that original use is multifaceted, including outreach ministries, community breakfasts and partnering with the Susan G. Komen Foundation in support of breast cancer awareness walks.

For all involved, the project comes down to rescuing a historic place of love, support and community.

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Bumper Crop How STUMP found a new home — and so much more — in Savannah Written by SYLVIE BAGGETT

THERE’S A FUNNY thing that happens in Savannah. For those of us who have lived here awhile, we’re familiar with the way the city seems to ask its guests to stay a little longer. It’s no surprise when the freshly graduated college student decides to stay another year or vacationers transplant themselves here on a whim. The city possesses a magnetism that makes it easy for people to put down roots. For Emily and Brian Kellett of STUMP, what drew them here was something a little less expected.

“Last November, we had gone down to Florida from Ohio to hand-pick some plants from our grower to bring back to the shop,” Emily says. “As we were driving back north with a van full of plants, we realized that it was too cold out to leave them in the

Photography courtesy of STUMP

car overnight. We’d never been before, but Savannah was kind of our last chance.” The pair booked a place for the night and tucked their plants in. In the morning, they watched the crowds wander beneath sun-speckled oak trees. “We just joked about it, but we were like, yeah, we could live here.”

Three months later, they did. A fated lunch at Bull Street Taco led them to the empty corner shop on Bull and East 33rd streets, the future home of STUMP Savannah. While they were at it, they figured they might as well purchase a house, too. “It’s just crazy,” Emily says. “Everything worked out so perfectly.”

In two weeks, the Kelletts had not only a new storefront but also a new city to call home.

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“We’re kind of shocked by how nice everyone is,” Brian says.

“The fact that people wave and are friendly and want to know our story — it feels very supportive.” The Kelletts have done their part in supporting the Savannah community, too, by partnering with local artisans such as Pragmatic Pottery, Sea Salt Ceramics, Tate Ellington Illustrations and ElonWick Candle Co., whose wares are all available at STUMP. STUMP stores build a strong connection with their cities — other locations are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio — by emphasizing the importance of continued plant education. “We don’t want people to feel like they’re on their own after buying a plant from us,” Brian says. By hiring employees who know everything there is to know about house plants, STUMP makes sure every question gets answered. “People really care about their plants. Some even bring them in for a diagnosis,” he says, laughing.

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Camille Ridgley, the store manager of STUMP Savannah, had a role to play before the Kelletts had ever set foot in the Hostess City. “[Camille] had reached out to us on Instagram after visiting our store in Philadelphia, saying how well a STUMP would do in her hometown of Savannah,” Emily recalls. “I totally forgot about it until she happened to message us again on the day we were in Savannah checking out the retail space. Somehow, she knew.”

The three met for coffee that day and the rest is history. “Camille has been so great at helping us connect to other horticulturalists in Savannah,” Emily says. “It’s sort of amazing how perfectly everything fell into place.

For the Kelletts, it was Savannah’s warm winter nights that drew them to the city in the first place. Now, it’s the people who make them happy they stayed.

STUMP Savannah, 1612 Bull St., stumpplants.com/savannah

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arrivals for special requests and sort through new emails at my home office. I then sign on SavannahNow. com to review the past night’s news and the obituary page. Time for the second cup of coffee.

7 a.m.: On my way into the office, I stop by Cutter’s Point Coffee for my third cup — it’s about a half-hour trip. Once I arrive at the Inn, I walk around the interior and exterior to note any deficiencies or improvements that can be made in the upcoming day. I meet with each of the departments to update them on incoming guests.

11:30 a.m.: Lunch! I usually dine with a couple of

other downtown managers to talk shop. We like to eat at Henry’s Restaurant, Debi’s Restaurant or The 5 Spot downtown — the food is great, the price is right, and they’re within walking distance.

2:30 p.m.: Time for an afternoon pick-me-up at Blends a Coffee Boutique. It’s close by, and they roast their own beans on-site. Sometimes, I’ll sneak off to Leopold’s Ice Cream for a real treat.

3 p.m.: I greet the new shift of employees and brief

M Y S AVA N N A H

Marc Friday The native Savannahian and general manager of Planters Inn (runner-up, Best Boutique Hotel) shares a day in the life 5 a.m.: My day usually starts with my daughter’s cats, Cosmo and Coco, alerting me that it’s time for their morning feeding. It’s a peaceful time for me: the sun’s not up yet, but I sip my first cup of coffee and collect my thoughts for the day. By 6 a.m. I review the inn’s reports, check the guest

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them on what to expect. Planters Inn is a favorite among travelers, and that’s a direct result of the great staff who choose to work with me. The guests come in like clockwork right at 3 p.m., so we’re there to greet them, answer all their questions, and make reservations for them at The Olde Pink House and other dining spots.

5 p.m.: If it’s Thursday, I head to Cohen’s Retreat for a meeting with my friends — the “old men.” Our mixologist, Nikki, knows what we want before we even order. Our group usually consists of attorneys and businessmen, and occasionally we have a guest speaker join us.

7:30 p.m.: After a lively discussion, dinner at Sweet Potatoes or Castaways Sandfly caps off the day.

8:30 p.m.: I’ve been a hotelier for more than 35

years, so I can’t help myself — I do one more review of emails, guest comments and requests. To smooth out the day, I enjoy a small bit of Jameson Irish Whiskey after the sun goes down.

Photography by ANGELA HOPPER LEE

olHancock Hancock Hancock Hancock Hancock Day Hancock School Day Day Day Day School Day School School School School

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It is the vision of all involved with patient care at Azalealand Nursing and Rehabilitation to provide quality care in a homelike and caring environment to our residents, their families, and our team members. Our patient care team will assist each individual resident in achieving the highest degree of independence while assuring dependability and confidentiality. We will provide a caring, respectable, and nurturing atmosphere with the utmost professionalism.

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STYLE

AT HOME

Generous Living A home at The Ford takes inspiration from downtown Savannah Written by MARGARET DANIEL / Photography by RICHARD LEO JOHNSON

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

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Inspired by Savannah row houses, the home features 2,600 square feet of exterior porches and a formal garden.

BENEATH LIVE OAKS and flowering magnolias, a newly constructed townhome appears to have been plucked, ever so gently, from Savannah’s Historic District and planted at McAllister Point in The Ford. With sweeping views of the Ogeechee River and rice fields sprawling beyond, the property, completed in 2018, is a tranquil retreat for homeowners Becky and Marty Kanipe.

Drawn to The Ford for its equine and fishing amenities and heavy dose of Southern style, the Kanipes, originally from Richmond, Virginia, purchased the homesite in 2003. Years later, ready to embrace Lowcountry living, the Kanipes called upon architect Erik Puljung and interior designer Amy Porch, both of Hansen Architects, to help them dream up their Southern manse.

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avannah’s charm has attracted world-renowned implantologist and dental educator Dr. Robert Walinchus to the Hostess City – and the Savannah Dental team.

Dr. Walinchus is a Diplomat – the highest honor bestowed – of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, a prestigious worldwide organization of doctors dedicated to the study, placement and restoration of dental implants. This means no more needing to drive to Atlanta or Jacksonville to see the best of the best.

“I came to Savannah Dental because they wanted to do the best dentistry possible for the patient. That’s my philosophy, too!” says Dr. Walinchus.

“I love teaching the team about the advances in implant dentistry. I look forward to work each time I go.”

Still, Dr. Walinchus is not all work and no play. His favorite pastime is flying his plane! “Flying is fun and

precision-guided just like implants,” he says. He also enjoys golf (another precision-guided pastime), fly fishing and ice hockey.

In Savannah for just more than a month, Dr. Walinchus has fallen in love with not only Savannah, but also Savannahians, too. “The people are so nice here. It’s a pleasure to care for them,” he says.

Once traveling becomes safer again, Dr. Walinchus will continue teaching his implant course, which he’s been doing for 15 years, around the United States, England and Scotland.

Prior to COVID-19, his course at the prestigious International Congress of Oral Implantologists Conference was sold out and standing-room only. Dr. Walinchus’ teaching skills translate well into exceptional patient care, as he believes educating patients on their oral health is his number one priority.

The office’s investment in dental technology also attracted Dr. Walinchus

to Savannah Dental. “Practicing dentistry without all the technology that’s out there is like trying to create a presentation on a typewriter instead of a computer,” describes Savannah Dental’s Dr. Stephanie Joy Sweeney.

Prior to Dr. Walinchus’s arrival, the office upgraded its dental imaging to a 3D CT machine. Traditional dental imaging shows just one small section of the mouth at a time. The 3D CT technology improves the team’s understanding of patient’s oral health by allowing doctors to see the full picture. Savannah Dental is also the only office in Savannah to have an iTero Element 5D scanner, which uses near-infrared technology to spot cavities hidden to the naked eye without using ionizing radiation of traditional X-rays.

To find out more information about dental implants and Savannah Dental’s new technology, call the team at 912.355.8821.

STYLE

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Thanks to Puljung’s reverence for detail, the house shares a rich dialogue with the formal garden. “It was a pivotal moment in our design [process] when Erik created the porte-cochère under the garden porches,” Becky says. With its groin-vaulted ceilings, a detail inspired by the couple’s travels to Florence, the covered drive adds copious amounts of style to the ground level while maximizing the garden’s footprint. This design also fulfilled a request for ample outdoor living space suitable for entertaining. “Marty really wanted a rooftop terrace,” says Puljung, who incorporated the terrace along with two porches above the porte-cochère, and two more on the back of the house. (In all, the home includes a whopping 2,600 square feet of porch space).

Designed in the traditional Savannah side-porch style, the home faces the neighborhood’s square, another reference to the Hostess City, some 30 miles northeast. But with such a heavy emphasis on entertaining and the outdoors, the interior layout was designed as a thoughtful departure from the traditional, Savannah townhome. “Most houses of this style give you the best room first, just inside the front door,” Puljung says. But unlike many Savannah row houses, he notes, “the primary view is on the back of the house.”

Specifically, Pujlung and Porch used millwork details to subtly invite visitors toward the back of the home. The foyer gives way to a stately, barrel-vaulted hallway, complete with a wet bar — a Southernapproved way to welcome guests — that ends in the great room, with its wall-to-wall views of the surrounding landscape.

In the great room and kitchen, Porch translated the Kanipes’ exuberant style (Becky is a self-proclaimed “color person”) to fit their new context and accommodate groups of all sizes. Here, brilliantly patterned drapes mingle with punchy, coral pillows and plush, green armchairs situated upon an antique rug.

“We didn’t want the traditional furnishings to feel too formal, like you couldn’t relax,” Porch says, “so we used a lot of linen.”

The effect is unfussy, from a natural-woven rug to an updated antique Chippendale dining set, where Porch stripped the chairs down to the original finish and added leopard-print fabric. To discreetly hide the couple’s television, Porch worked with Atlanta-based furniture company Holland MacRae to design a pair of custom wood and cane armoires as elegant as they are useful.

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“We didn’t want the traditional furnishings to feel too formal, like you couldn’t relax, so we used a lot of linen.”

—Amy Porch, Hansen Architects

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The master suite, which includes a large bath and his-and-hers dressing rooms, takes up the home's entire second floor.

Although the Kanipes love to host, the Hansen team reserved the entire second floor for a sumptuous master suite — a retreat within a retreat. The space features a private porch, his-and-hers dressing rooms and separate bathrooms outfitted with a marble-topped bathtub and vanities. On the top floor, two bedrooms, a playfully decorated bunkroom, and a wet bar, however, were designed with guests firmly in mind. Throughout, a color palette of blues and greens mimics the marsh just outside. Simple valances (no floor-grazing drapery here) let the views speak for themselves.

Despite the home’s substantial square footage, a unified design and emphasis on entertaining means there are “no throw-away spaces,” Porch says. Indeed, Marty notes friends and family “beg to come back” after visiting their house. Becky concurs, laughing: “We’re afraid that our guests might come and not leave.”

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DETAILS* Owners: Becky and Marty Kanipe Year built: Completed December 2018 Square footage: 5,450 heated; 2,600 porch Number of bedrooms and bathrooms: 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms Time to complete: 20 months Architects/planners: Hansen Architects, Erik Puljung Interior designer: Hansen Architects, Amy Porch Contractor/builder: Grotheer Construction, Bill Grotheer, Brian Mims Tile/flooring: Hansen Architects with Garden State Tile Windows/doors: Coastal Sash & Door, Marvin Kitchen design: Hansen Architects, Erik Puljung and Amy Porch Bath design: Hansen Architects, Erik Puljung and Amy Porch Lighting design: Hansen Architects, Erik Puljung and Amy Porch Lighting fixtures: Circa Lighting, The Urban Electric Company Landscape design: Witmer Jones Keefer, Dan Keefer Hardscape design: Hansen Architects and Witmer Jones Keefer, Dan Keefer Electrician: Crout Electric Audio/visual: Custom Audio Video Carpenter: Interior trim and cabinets

by Brian Webb, Webb Construction HVAC: Geothermal heating and cooling by Gochnauer Air Conditioning & Heating Furniture: Hansen Architects, Amy Porch Appliances: Livingood’s Appliances & Bedding Art: CAS Fine Art, Cindy Szczecinski *All details supplied by interior designer.

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TA S T E TA S T E S A V A N N A H

An assortment of takeout chicken and sides from Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room and Genevaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Famous Chicken & Cornbread Co.

Fried and True Nothing sates quite like fried chicken, and these Best of Savannah honorees are now offering it to-go Written by LINDY MOODY / Photography by JASON B. JAMES

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

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FROM LEFT: Peter Thompson, Ryon Thompson, Marcia Thompson, Lindsay Thompson, Lena Thompson, Julianna Jones, Tyler Jones, Corey Jones and Emily Jones

MRS. WILKES DINING ROOM

WINNER, BEST FRIED CHICKEN

You never forget the first time you pass the two-block line around Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, where tourists and locals alike wait in the summer heat (or winter chill) to snag a spot at one of the family-style tables. For me, eating here after moving to Savannah marked the first time I felt like a local.

The Mrs. Wilkes’ tradition is this: sit at a large, 10-seat table with total strangers, then share a family-style feast of fried chicken, biscuits, collards, black-eyed peas, macaroni salad and whatever else is on the menu for the day. By the end of the meal, most diners have shared tales of travel or tips on what to do around town, and they’ve undoubtedly eaten more than they should have for a midday meal.

In light of the times, the opportunity to gather around a large table at the Savannah staple is no longer an option.

But the Wilkes family has pushed on and adapted without breaking stride. The

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restaurant’s ability to keep pace is due to the entire family stepping up to the plate.

For the first time in many years, you’ll find multiple generations of the Wilkes family under one roof. As for the food? It’s now available to-go.

“Every morning we post the [takeout] menu on Facebook and Instagram, and, of course, we have fried chicken every day and beef stew every day,” says Emily Jones, great-granddaughter of the original owner, Sema Wilkes, who started the restaurant 77 years ago. For sides, customers pick from nine to 12 different items, a choice of biscuit or cornbread, and a hearty slice of the family’s signature pound cake (it’s still made fresh in the kitchen by Marcia Thompson, Sema Wilkes’ granddaughter).

When it comes to the size of this epic takeout meal, the restaurant is still using their two-band method. “Back in the day they would fill [takeout containers] so full they had to put two rubber bands around the takeout so it wouldn’t burst open,” Jones says, laughing. “My brother [owner Ryon Thompson] fills those

things so full. He’s a people-pleaser.”

The most important thing I learned from chatting with Jones is that family is still the center of Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room. Although the current pandemic has caused uncertainty, it’s also given this deeply rooted Savannah family the opportunity to work together again. To wit, even the fifth-generation, great-greatgrandchildren are on site, helping out. mrswilkes.com, @mrswilkesdining

GENEVA’S FAMOUS CHICKEN & CORNBREAD CO.

RUNNER-UP, BEST FRIED CHICKEN

Much like fashion, food trends come, go and eventually reappear. The result of the South’s revitalized food scene has been the blossoming of many food “fancifications” — think petite rosemary chicken and waffles, or pimento arancini. But one truth remains the same: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. You can’t mess with a classic, such as a perfectly tender, fried, bone-in

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Open Season Savannah tests out an expanded open-container policy Written by SYLVIE BAGGETT Photography by JASON B. JAMES

Geneva Wade

piece of dark meat chicken (or white meat, if that’s your thing). Innovation might work, but honoring our roots is often as simple as using those roots correctly and traditionally.

Still, there’s one long-standing Savannah establishment that has managed to innovate while honoring Southern custom: Geneva’s Famous Chicken & Cornbread Co. Longtime locals know of the famous fried chicken, amongst other dishes, from an earlier iteration, Geneva’s Home Plate. In 1983, Geneva Wade set out to warm the hearts of the Lowcountry with her meat-and-homecooked-sides concept. Geneva’s Home Plate stuck around Savannah for some time. Eventually, innovation followed.

In the form of cornbread.

In the cooking world, cornbread is a blank canvas — the potential is limitless. After shuttering Geneva’s Home Plate and reopening as Geneva’s Famous Chicken & Cornbread Co., Wade decided to focus her creativity into her buttery-sweet cornbread, served warm. Wade started with 12 flavors, and recently debuted a new

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flavor for an appropriate baker’s dozen. “We added a zucchini loaf with a little bit of mild cheddar cheese in it. I promise you, it is truly very, very good,” Wade shares after I ask about variations other than my personal favorite — pecan.

It’s the fried chicken, though, that makes Geneva’s famous. Every Savannahian knows where to get good fried chicken (and where to get the not-so-good kind). Geneva’s has been using the same recipe for years, and it tastes as delicious to-go as it does within the restaurant’s homey dining room off Victory Drive.

“We were always doing a tremendous amount of take-out before coronavirus started, and our customers stayed very loyal,” Wade shares.

“It was overwhelming, actually, that we were bringing in [such high numbers].”

For Wade’s ardent supporters, comfort food from the comfort of home has never tasted better. eatgenevas.com

THE MOMENTS BEFORE my 21st birthday were filled with homemade cards, spilled nail polish and red velvet cake. My roommates and I danced around the living room of our shabby first apartment to Madonna songs, waiting for the pink clock in the purple kitchen to read midnight. Once it did, lipgloss was reapplied and outfits hastily changed (again) in the three minutes before the Lyft arrived to ferry us from the Starland District to downtown.

My first to-go drink was a gin and tonic from Alley Cat Lounge. I clutched that plastic cup tightly as we traipsed up and down Congress Street, admiring the out-of-towners’ glittering party dresses, trying not to splosh as the pavement turned to cobblestone beneath my impractical shoes. We bounced from bar to bar, spilling like music out onto the street with a kind of joy that can only happen in Savannah. Eventually, last calls were made, and we took that long journey back to our apartment.

Downtown, a new, boozy world had welcomed me. I perfected the art of sorting through a rack of dresses with one hand while holding a mimosa in the other. In colder months, an evening walk was warmed with mulled wine or hard cider. I relished bragging to my non-Savannah friends who were confined to drinking in bars or restaurants,

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promising to take them on a personalized bar crawl as soon as they came to visit. You’re going to love it, I’d tell them. And, of course, they always did.

Although I’ve since moved from that first apartment, I’ve never strayed far from that part of town. And now, as a wise 23-year-old, I recognize the joys of a night out closer to home: no rideshare fees, fewer crowds, no ankle-spraining cobblestones. Still, I couldn’t help but feel cheated by downtown. Like those friends I’d pitied for having to stay in one place while they sipped their cocktails (the horror), my neighbors and I were stuck. Stationary. Unable to roam with our alcoholic beverages.

Luckily for residents and business owners alike in the Starland District, Victorian District and Thomas Square neighborhood, we can

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now have our beer and carry it, too — at least for a few more weeks. During a time when a night spent inside a cramped bar isn’t safe, the expanded open container pilot program — stretching south of downtown along Bull Street from Forsyth Park to Victory Drive — gives us a sip of normalcy. Front porch rendezvouses feel like a party with the addition of fancy, to-go cocktails. Evening walks after the humidity cools down are made that much better by a cold beer in hand. There’s only the question of where to get your to-go drink of choice, though places like Local 11 Ten, The Vault, The Wormhole, Starland Yard, Water Witch Tiki and Bull Street Taco spring to mind.

Bragging rights to non-Savannahians are still warranted, and you don’t have to traipse quite so far north to get them.

Bull Street Taco’s Baja margarita is a fan favorite and a Best of Savannah runner-up (the restaurant also won Best Tacos).

Purchase it by the bottle, or whip one up for your next meander using the recipe below. “We shake this one with Damiana liqueur, which is made from a wildflower native to Mexico, Central America and the West Indies,” says proprietor Shannon Massey. “Historically, some say that it’s an ancient aphrodisiac. We just think it’s delicious.”

¹ ₂ oz. tequila joven ³ ₄ oz. Damiana liqueur ¹ ₂ oz. freshly squeezed lime juice 1 oz. simple syrup made with cane sugar Rim glass with salt. Shake all ingredients together and pour over ice.

Garnish with lime wedge.

COU R TESY OF B U LL STREET TA C O

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Get ready to test your newfound cooking skills at 700 Kitchen Cooking School. Or, melt the tension of the last several weeks away with a relaxing massage or rejuvenating facial at Poseidon Spa. No matter what you’re craving, it’s waiting for you when our doors reopen.

Visit MansiononForsythPark.com and begin planning your future Savannah adventure.

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CHEF Q&A

Sean Thongsiri FL OCK TO THE WOK Interview by JAY LANKAU

APPEALING TO SAVANNAH’S eyes and stomach with a beautiful, birdcage-inspired interior and modern Asian fare, Flock to the Wok earns both of its Best of Savannah distinctions as Best New Restaurant and Best Asian Restaurant. With a menu full of dumplings, noodles and other Chinese favorites, Flock to the Wok has not only

Photography courtesy of ELE AND THE CHEF

survived a difficult time for restaurants everywhere, but also thrived. No small feat for a restaurant that’s only been open for about a year — but Flock to the Wok’s plates of steamed rice, glazed vegetables and spicy chicken speak for themselves. Here, chef Sean Thongsiri waxes poetic on Chinese flavors and how dumplings elicit “the joys in life.”

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ON COOKING — AND RIFFING ON — CHINESE FOOD:

ON ENTICING SAVANNAH:

My favorite thing on the menu to prepare is our dish, “The Whole Bronzini.”

Our ginger scallion sauce is paired with this mild and sweet fish. I enjoy cooking it the most because it’s light and delicate. If I had to pick a signature dish for Flock to the Wok, I would say the General Tso’s Chicken and Mongolian Beef are the two house favorites. Chinese food can be cooked in different styles, like Sichuan, Cantonese or Hunan, but Flock to the Wok represents more of a blend that has a modern twist on it. It’s a marriage of all Asian spices, and our menu offers an array of choices of Asian cuisines. Our base is Chinese, but we play off of all Asian food.

Flock to the Wok was a missing component in downtown Savannah. Savannah has longed for an authentic Chinese restaurant where customers can sit down and enjoy a meal with friends and family.

Like in traditional dim sum meals, Flock to the Wok has dishes that are designed to share, and it has a menu with options for everyone. The unique birdcage setting welcomes locals and tourists to dine in a warm and comforting atmosphere.

ON GROWING PAINS:

For a new restaurant, the most challenging part of the pandemic was staffing.

We wanted our employees to feel safe during this changing time. Adjusting to social distancing, creating larger platforms for to-go and delivery, and the

·

extra sanitizing precautions for the safety of our guests and employees were all challenges we faced as well. All that said, we pulled together and made it happen with a great team.

ON COMFORT FOOD:

I think Chinese food is such a comfort food to Americans because of the balance of flavors. In our favorite chicken dishes, the crispy batter coated with sweet and savory sauces is complemented with white rice to create a comforting and soothing meal. My favorite comfort food is dumplings because of their steamed and seared texture, especially when they’re dipped into savory and spicy sauces. It brings back memories of my childhood. Making and eating dumplings together as a family is comforting in itself and brings out the joys in life.

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On The Rise For Auspicious Baking Co.’s expansion, luck was baked in Written by ALEXANDRA MARVAR

FAR LEFT: Auspicious Baking Co.’s expanded Sandfly location LEFT: Mark Ekstrom and Katie Bryant

CONDUCIVE TO SUCCESS. Favorable, lucky.

Giving a sign of positive things to come. Auspicious Baking Co. (Best Breads, Muffins and Bagels) takes its name from the Romani culinary practice of baxtale xajmata or “auspicious foods” — thrifty, delicious, nourishing meals that bring good fortune to the body and soul.

Katie Bryant and her fiancé Mark Ekstrom chose the name for their bakery, which originally opened on Skidaway Road in Savannah three summers ago, and the good fortune has kept on coming.

This spring, they were ready to take the next leap — opening a bigger space with dine-in options and a larger menu across the street from Sandfly Barbeque in Sandfly.

But uncharacteristically for Auspicious, the timing, Bryant says, was “kind of unfortunate.”

“We were really ecstatic to offer more to our customers, to spend more time with them in the bakery, to offer more products, more variety and just more of an experience,” Bryant says.

They had spread the word to their regulars.

Everything was finally in place. But just as they opened their doors, Savannah announced its mandated coronavirus lockdown. Indoor dining wouldn’t be possible again for months.

“It was like a dream, being with family and friends, sitting down eating,” Bryant says. “And then the next day, everything was restricted.” And that wasn’t the only problem the pandemic brought with it.

“Seventy percent of our wholesale accounts closed entirely,” Bryant says. “We had daily coffee shops that were carrying our pastries, restaurants that would use our bread for their dinner service — it all went away overnight.

“Little did we know that our community, who was spending all their time at home, needing a little bit of comfort food, would really help make up for

Photography courtesy of AUSPICIOUS BAKING CO.

that lack. It’s been a crazy time, but trying to roll with the punches during this, it hasn’t held us back at all.

Actually,” she says, “it’s really kind of boosted us.”

Since the pandemic began, and a number of food and retail businesses in Savannah have buckled and gone under, the bakery’s business has only grown.

Bryant and Ekstrom added an extra retail day and continued to hire. Now, they’re open Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and work with a staff of 14, up from nine at the original location.

Part of the growth was the community rising up to help ensure the survival of the businesses they love.

But in chaotic times, there’s also just something about fresh-baked bread: The inherent comfort of this auspicious food has kept business steady in Sandfly, even while a surge of people are trying their hands at their own “quarantine baking” at home.

Bryant’s career started with a passion for baking, she says. “I think we all kind of find our niche that way.”

Maybe in these past few months, as we’ve seen flour and yeast stripped from store shelves and waves of “first loaf” and “quarantine cookies” posts pour onto social media, others will have had an unusual opportunity to discover in themselves the same passion.

“Baking provides a lot of structure in your life, especially if you have an interest in naturally leavened bread [such as sourdough], it’s almost like something’s dependent on you. It’s like taking care of a plant, or a pet. You’ve got to set a schedule, you’ve got to be consistent. You need to show up for the bread,” she says.

“I think that can do a lot for people.”

Whether or not you’re a budding baker, Auspicious’s newly expanded menu of take-out salads and sandwiches — along with classics like scones, quiches, maple buns and croissants — is impossible to pass up. And if Savannah can count on anything, it’s the comfort of fresh-baked bread in Sandfly. auspiciousbakingco.com

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Dining with a

Twist Neighborhood restaurants take it outside

Written by STEVEN ALFORD / Illustrations by MAGGIE FRENCH

SUMMER 2020 MEANT missing out on many of the normal things we once took for granted: going to a party, seeing a live concert or enjoying a meal together inside a restaurant. But that might not have to be the last word for fall.

As autumn ushers in cooler temperatures and diminished humidity, local restaurantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; outdoor dining options are more enticing than ever. Look to Starland District, midtown and downtown, where outdoor dining satisfies every craving for food â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and safe socialization.

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DOWNTOWN

OUTDOOR DINING (and drinking) has long been a hallmark of the Historic District, pandemic or not: Belford’s Seafood and Steaks in City Market features a large outside deck, covered in shade and perfect for people-watching. Cha Bella and Kayak Kafé are also appealing for those who want to sit outside and have a cold drink, while maintaining distance from other diners. And The Collins Quarter, revered for its prime real estate at Bull Street and Oglethorpe Avenue, now includes an even more sought-after outdoor locale: Forsyth Park.

The Collins Quarter owner Anthony Debreceny says even though things slowed down, the business has made strides by shifting to outdoor dining. “You’re always paying for last week’s invoices with this week’s money,” Debreceny says, “but we are back to our numbers that we were doing about three months after we opened in 2014.”

At the outset of the pandemic, The Collins Quarter began working with the city to add additional seating outside by utilizing parking spaces in front of the restaurant. Known as the Parklet Pilot Program — a trend that’s taken off all over the country — this initiative temporarily suspends regulations to allow outdoor business expansion into areas normally reserved for vehicles.

“We were able to put 24 seats outside in a pocket that we developed, and we are currently working with the city to have this as a permanent structure,” Debreceny says.

Despite innovative shifts and continual customers, Debreceny admits his staff, like so many others in the hospitality industry, is “struggling to bring our daily lives in line with the new norm.” But amid Savannah’s beautiful fall weather and enchanting scenery, it’s a new norm that looks promising.

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“

We were able to put 24 seats outside in a pocket that we developed, and we are currently working with the city to have this as a permanent structure.”

— Anthony Debreceny, owner, The Collins Quarter

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S TA R L A N D D I S T R I C T

STARLAND YARD, with its large outdoor courtyard and dining options like Loki Israeli Food Truck, Pizzeria Vittoria, the Yard Bar and local brewery Two Tides right next door, is the centerpiece of the Starland District. It was also “conceived and constructed with a vision of large groups of people gathering,” says general manager Ava Pandiani. Fortunately, the business model just as easily accommodates social distancing.

In mid-March, Starland Yard cut down most of its operation, limiting business to include takeout from Pizzeria Vittoria and turning the entire yard into a drive-thru. As staff debated Starland’s reopening, Pandiani says her team considered every precaution.

“We took away about half of our seating, including all bar stools, and we even went so far as to have bartenders take orders at tables to keep guests from crowding around the bar,” Pandiani recalls. Starland Yard also designates someone on each shift to constantly sanitize surfaces, and when it gets busy, the park assigns seating to keep people at designated tables when needed. “Almost every night, I have a guest come up to me and thank us for our diligence, or remark upon how comfortable they feel dining in the park. It’s the highest compliment, in my opinion, for anyone operating a food and beverage business currently,” she says.

Although Starland Yard’s layout allows for easy outdoor dining, Pandiani says she’s noticed heartwarming examples of creativity throughout Savannah, such as neighboring businesses letting restaurants use their entrance space for additional dining. “It says a lot about the community willing to help others out right now,” she says.

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MORE WAYS TO GET OUTSIDE Elsewhere in Starland District, diners can choose to sit outside at places like: •

Bull Street Taco

•

Squirrel’s Pizza

•

Foxy Loxy Cafe

•

Henny Penny Art Space + Cafe

•

Starland Cafe

•

La Scala Ristorante

•

Tacos and Tequila

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MIDTOWN

IN MIDTOWN, Bella’s Italian Café and Hirano’s Japanese Restaurant have long been situated right next door to one another — now, they’re sharing an outdoor dining space that extends the neighborly feel. Appropriately, The 5 Spot Neighborhood Kitchen and Bar is also part of this friendly stretch.

Midtown’s Habersham Shopping Center is bustling with mom-and-pop stores, boutiques and homegrown eateries catering to the local crowd. To keep business flowing while keeping customers and staff safe, Bar¢.¢Food and Coffee¢.¢Deli set up more exterior seating to provide safe dining options.

Owner Paula Letcher says though sales are about half of what they were this time last year, the restaurant has found new ways to keep patrons coming back for more, and has even found opportunities for growth.

“From the menu to the staffing to the seating arrangements — all of this changed,” Letcher says, gesturing to the revamped space, which now stretches out onto Habersham Street. “[Co-owner] Johnny [Baker] and I are a bit crazy, so we decided to take over Marco’s Pizza next to Bar¢.¢Food and expand into that space as well.”

Letcher acknowledges the challenge of keeping customers safe while providing the same great service they’ve come to expect (outdoor tents, which offer shade and accommodate more traffic, have been a boon). Still, she thanks her customers for rolling with the changes and returning each week to keep the restaurant moving forward. Her advice for diners who might have been away for a while? “Be nice and be understanding,” she says. “And shop locally.”

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“

From the menu to the staffing to the seating arrangements — all of this changed.”

— Paula Letcher, owner, Bar .Food and Coffee .Deli

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CAR CULTURE

THREE DESIGNERS SHOW THAT CARS CAN BE THE INSPIRATION AND THE ART Written by GRACIE WILLIAMS

FOR MOST OF US, a car needs to be safe and economical. Artistic? Not so much. Still, cars revolutionized the world, and they’re an integral part of American life. They’re modern marvels, and they ought to be celebrated.

Enter these three car designers (all with a tie to Savannah) who have pushed the pedal to transform cars into artistic masterpieces, showcasing a unique aesthetic — and worthy reverence for automobiles — in the process.

Photography courtesy of CESAR PIERI

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CHRISTI SCHIMPKE I

Christi Schimpke developed a special method of bending car metal that keeps auto paint intact.

OF CRASH JEWELRY

Custom CRASH Jewelry cuff links

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t takes a particularly artistic person to find the beauty in a fender bender. With a background in art history, CRASH Jewelry owner Christi Schimpke was primed to create and appreciate unconventional pieces of art.

Seven years ago, while working in her studio, located within her husband’s Los Angeles boutique auto shop, she had an epiphany. Every day, the shop discarded an excess of battered metal from luxury cars like BMWs, Aston Martins, Bentleys, Maseratis and Teslas, to name a few. “What if I can make something with this?” Schimpke recalls thinking. Soon, eco-chic CRASH Jewelry was born, and Schimpke made the switch from art historian to being surrounded by exhaust pipes and motor oil.

Schimpke takes visual cues from these high-end cars to turn them into wearable unisex jewelry, replete with luxe leathers and quality metals that echo the original designs of each automobile.

Some designs are more eccentric than others, but practicality comes first. “A lot of people want something they can wear every day,” says Schimpke, who has family in Savannah and has participated in the Wine, Women & Shoes charity event, giving back 20 percent of sales to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire.

She also creates completely custom pieces. When a friend was in a minor fender bender on the freeway while cruising in his Audi A5, he commissioned a piece of jewelry from Schimpke, which she matched to his edgy, rock ‘n’ roll persona.

The results are beautiful, but the work can be taxing. “My husband always says, ‘It’s from a car, it’s not meant to be bent like this,” Schimpke says. That doesn’t stop her from experimenting with different bending techniques that keep the paint intact. Through trial and error, Schimpke can now fashion oneof-a-kind bracelets, cuffs, earrings and necklaces. It’s also helped her see cars — and crashes — as an art form, she says.

Photography courtesy of CASH JEWELRY

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CESAR PIERI

Cesar Pieri often works on vintage car hoods, but no part goes to waste: the coffee table at left is made from an automotive turbine.

S

omeone who also sees the beauty behind the crash is Brazilian-Italian designer Cesar Pieri.

As a child, Pieri spent his time pulling toys apart and reassembling them to create interesting, new designs. That childhood training led him to a career in automotive design, where now, he has no shortage of qualifications, from designing for brands in Germany and China to becoming the creative design manager for Jaguar in Coventry, England. While in the U.K., he created sketches that would ultimately become the limited-run Jaguar Concept 7 — the fastest and most powerful Jaguar ever produced.

“As a car designer, you’re always trying to envision the future,” Pieri says. “People think it’s a very glamorous job, and it can be, but you’re trying to get cold metal to represent all of the DNA and heritage of the brand.”

The stressful technicalities of the job attracted Pieri to the innovative freshness of the university environment; he’s now Chair of Industrial Design at Savannah College of Art and Design. He blows off workday steam by painting — painting pieces of rare, luxury cars that he often designed, that is.

“My work inspires my art, and my art inspires my work,” says Pieri, who created The Jaguar Bonnet Artwork Collection, featuring colorful, pop-art designs painted on the hoods of the cars.

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What started as a hobby became a way to share his passion for luxury cars with others. Pieri’s pieces have been featured in exhibits at the British Heritage Motor Museum in Gaydon, England, and The National Automobile Museum in Turin, Italy, to name a few.

While it started with his own intentions in mind, now, much like Schimpke, Pieri’s medium and designs vary based on the customer (currently, he’s painting a C-130 elevator airplane wing). All his projects, no matter the type of vehicle, are fueled by the process of expression.

“You can communicate that sense of speed, power, intention and movement into an artwork,” he says. “That’s what inspires me; that’s my passion.”

Photography courtesy of CESAR PIERI

JOHN BUCCI FEATURED AT EVERARD AUCTIONS & APPRAISALS

A

fter automotive designer and artist John Bucci’s passing in February 2019 at the age of 84, his legacy cemented him as one of the pioneers in the carsas-art culture.

Born in Gorizia, Italy, Bucci grew up in an area that became part of Yugoslavia after World War II. He eventually escaped the oppressive Communistic powers and fled to the Italian side of the border, where he lived in refugee camps for a few years. In 1959, Bucci was sponsored in the U.S. and immigrated to Chicago, where he developed a love for cars.

Bucci saw men driving around the Windy City in their fancy sports cars and dreamed of that luxurious lifestyle. But with no money in his pockets, he had to get creative. His dedication led him to learn fiberglass-forming techniques from local engineers.

Eventually, he just made his own car.

While driving his first 1962 creation, “La Shabbla,” around town in the same fashion he had idolized, Bucci was spotted by a General Motors employee. He then met the executive of GM and was offered a position, which he turned down. Instead, he accepted the invitation to display his creation at the Cavalcade of Custom Cars at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. There, it fascinated the public and even caught the attention of singer Paul Anka, who was photographed in the vehicle.

This set Bucci on the path to a life of car design and fiberglass work (his reproductions of Rome’s Trevi Fountain were showcased in trade shows and festivals all over the world). But after years of this stressful lifestyle and brutal Chicago winters, Bucci and his wife

Photography courtesy of JOHN BUCCI

John Bucci built his futuristic, 1960s-era cars from fiberglass.

moved to a 180-acre property outside of Savannah to settle down for good. He transported his works there and even built a large metal studio to house his cars and artwork.

This October, Savannah’s Everard Auctions & Appraisals will be holding an online-only auction of the John Bucci estate collection through LiveAuctioneers. Two of Bucci’s fiberglass cars, including the infamous “La Shabbla,” will be among the inventory.

A veteran in the field of antiques, fine art and collectibles, Everard Auctions & Appraisals founder Amanda Everard is confident in Bucci’s rare items and his ability to draw a crowd.

“We expect [Bucci’s work] to draw interest from all over the world,” Everard says. “They are truly historic pieces.”

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Discover Bluffton, SC Shop · Dine · Explore · Stay

Come explore. Savor our rich history, culture and natural beauty.

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Enjoy our true Southern hospitality. Experience the Bluffton State of Mind!

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Stroll our Historic District and see our state designated cultural district come alive!

POP UP ART on the street, on gallery porches and on a corner lot — temporary art displays join the many galleries to highlight the artistic and cultural side of Bluffton.

oldtownbluffton.com | blufftonartsandseafoodfestival.com

Vote of Thanks HONORING SAVANNAHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S 20TH-CENTURY SUFFRAGISTS

Written by

SARAH DOMET Photography courtesy of NEW GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA

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The Georgia Young People Suffrage Association in an undated photo

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AT NOON ON AUGUST 21, 1920, three days after the ratification of the 19th amendment, 40 factories and boats in Savannah sounded their whistles in noisy celebration. Savannah Evening Press reported that City Hall flew international code letters that signaled the message: “We are victorious.” At last, women of the United States had won the right to vote.

Six days later, a group of women met at the corner of York and Bull streets to march to the old courthouse on Wright Square.

These women, according to Luciana Spracher, director of municipal archives for the City of Savannah, were led by Mrs. Paschal Strong, vice chairman of the League of Women Voters. Joining her were local suffragists Sarah Berrien Casey Morgan, who co-founded the Savannah chapter of the Equal Suffrage Party in 1914; Lucy Barrow McIntire, president of the Savannah Suffrage Association; and Stella Akin, the first woman admitted to the State Bar of Georgia and one of the founding organizers of the Equal Suffrage Party.

When they arrived at the courthouse, the tax collector told them the books were closed. Unfazed, Strong proceeded to lecture the tax collector on the law, the brand new law, until he reluctantly handed over the register. By the end of the day, approximately 50 women, including four Black women, were qualified as voters in the city of Savannah. A new era had begun.

“I’m sure there are many women who take having the right to vote for granted and can’t imagine that women once had to fight so hard for it,” Spracher says, “and that many others — men and women alike — were fighting against them.”

The fight was a long one: 72 years, to be exact, spanning back

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to the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention. For more than seven decades, national heroes like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and Lucy Stone (all Northerners) tirelessly dedicated their lives to the cause. Around the country, suffragists staged marches and protests, penned newspaper columns, distributed leaflets and picketed voting polls. Many of them never lived to cast a single vote.

Today’s voters forget just how long it took to win the vote or how radical the idea was, especially in our area, notes Anastasia Sims, historian and professor emeritus at Georgia Southern University.

“The South was the region of the U.S. where opposition to women’s suffrage was the strongest,” she says. “Opposition can be summed up by the three ‘R’s’: religion, race and resistance to change and reform.”

In the South and elsewhere, many believed the women’s vote was a threat to both political and family institutions.

“Housewives! You do not need a ballot to clean out your sink spout. A handful of potash and some boiling water is quicker and cheaper,” advises one pamphlet widely distributed by the National Association Opposed to Women Suffrage.

Last spring, in anticipation of the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment, the City of Savannah’s Municipal Archives hosted a lecture titled “Women’s Suffrage Comes to Georgia.”

Leading the program was Roger Smith, director of The Learning Center at Senior Citizens, Inc. “If you came here looking to be proud of the history of your state at the vanguard of giving women the right to vote,” Smith began his lecture, to the sheepish laughter of the crowd, “I’m afraid you’re going to be bitterly disappointed.” Smith is quick to point out that Georgia rushed to be the first state to reject the 19th amendment. Even after the amendment became law of the land, the Georgia legislature did not ratify it until 1970, a symbolic gesture by and large. (For the record, Georgia was not the last to ratify the

Photography courtesy of GEORGIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY VIA LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF COASTAL GEORGIA

“The League’s tagline is, ‘Empowering Voters.

Defending Democracy.’ That’s what it was about during the suffrage movement, and that’s what it’s still about.”

— Rebecca Rolfes, president of the League of Women Voters of Coastal Georgia

19th amendment: North Carolina’s ratification came in 1971 and Mississippi’s in 1984!)

“In Georgia and all over the South,” says Smith in a recent interview, “anti-suffrage voices greatly outnumbered those in favor of universal suffrage. But there are heroes in this story who are even more admirable for being in the minority.”

Change arrives not in the sounds of the chorus, but in the single voice of a brave individual who dares to sing. For Smith and others the story of suffrage in the South is the story of the women who brought the fight here, to our region.

One such woman was Helen Augusta Howard, from Columbus, Georgia, who founded the Georgia Woman Suffrage Association in 1890, at the age of 25.

Original members of this organization numbered only six: Howard, her mother, and her four sisters. Still, some in her family spoke out against this “unnatural woman” who never married, practiced vegetarianism, and, worse, was known to wear trousers.

Remarkably, Howard helped convince the National American Woman Suffrage Association to move its annual convention to Atlanta in 1895 in order to bring their radical message to the Deep South.

Speaking to the convention she argued: “The Georgia [news]papers and the far Southern papers still insist that women do not want the ballot. Until you hold a convention in the South and prove to them

TOP: Mamie George Williams, a historymaking native Savannahian who spearheaded voter registration efforts BOTTOM: A National Women’s Party demonstration in front of the White House in 1918. The banner protests then-president Woodrow Wilson’s failure to support women's suffrage.

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TOP: About 50 women in Savannah were registered to vote by the end of August 1920.

TOP RIGHT: A 1919 issue of The Suffragist, a weekly newspaper published by the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage

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that this is not so, they will keep on saying this.”

Howard’s sister, Miriam Howard Dubose, in her address titled “Georgia Curiosities” explained further that among the many curiosities in our region were “men who love their women too deeply to accord them justice, and women who are taken in with such affection.”

Like other early Georgian suffragists, Mary Latimer McLendon, considered the mother of women’s suffrage in Georgia, similarly forsook “affairs of the kitchen” in pursuit of the ballot box.

McLendon served as the president of the Howard-founded GWSA for nearly two decades, writing newspaper columns, organizing parades, distributing pamphlets and campaigning to the Georgia legislature in an attempt to win suffrage at the state level. Although Latimer McLendon joyously lived to see the 19th amendment ratified, women of Georgia were barred from the 1920 general election due to a technicality the state legislature refused to waive: women failed to register prior to the spring deadline.

“The tragic part of the story,” Smith notes, “is that Latimer McLendon died in 1921 without ever exercising the franchise in her own right.” One hundred years later, Smith hopes Georgians and Americans alike can see the parallels between matters of access as highlighted by last century’s women’s suffrage and today’s voting rights.

This, too, is the hope of Rebecca Rolfes, sitting president of the League of Women Voters of Coastal Georgia. “It’s remarkable to me how little our work has changed in a hundred years,” Rolfes says. “The women’s suffrage movement worked to first win and then maintain the right to vote for half the population. As the guardian of that legacy, the League of Women Voters was and is a

SAVANNAHMAGAZINE.COM

grassroots movement that registers and educates voters, that works to protect the right to vote and the integrity of elections.

The League’s tagline is, ‘Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.’ That’s what it was about during the suffrage movement, and that’s what it’s still about.”

Rolfes points to Mamie George Williams as one example of a heroic civic servant who fought for the vote at home. A native Savannahian who graduated from Beach Institute (now The Beach Institute AfricanAmerican Cultural Center) and Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University), Williams is credited with waging a massive voter registration campaign in 160 counties, which resulted in 40,000 qualified Black women voters in Georgia. In 1924, she made history when she became the first Black woman in the nation to serve on the National Republican Committee. Williams once said, “To many politics is a sordid game.

But to me it means the getting of everything worthwhile out of it for the race.”

“The thing suffragists all had in common was a relentless focus on the goal; the ability to keep their eyes on the prize regardless of the circumstances.

Maintaining that focus becomes harder and harder the farther you go from the change itself,” Rolfes says.

One hundred years ago, when the bells and whistles of Savannah sounded out in celebration, not everyone was jubilant.

Now, the image of American women being persuaded to give up their vote for a faucet cleaner of potash and boiling water seems downright absurd. But a few determined activists, some still alive to witness the triumph, convinced all Savannahians to set aside their chores for a while and head to the voting booth. That’s a lesson we can all remember today.

Photography courtesy of SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS/NEWS PRESS/NEW GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA

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• Bonaventure Cemetery

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wings are classics, but don’t sleep on the smothered shrimp from Sisters of the New South.

COU R T E S Y OF S I S T ERS OF THE N EW SOU TH

• The pork chops and turkey

PLACES TO CONNECT WITH NATURE • Oatland Island Wildlife Center (it’s temporarily closed to the public, but we welcome its reopening!)

• Savannah National Wildlife Refuge

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SPICES TO SEASON UP YOUR HOME COOKING • Salt Table • The Spice and Tea Exchange of Savannah

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• Lone Wolf Lounge • The Wayward — bonus points for complimentary popcorn.

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SELF-CARE STANDOUTS • New Yoga Now to stretch and soothe

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Photo by Kristen Brown, at Collins Quarter at Forsyth

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TA S T E SEEN S A V A N N A H

Bubbles and Pearls

Seafood and Spirits Photography by PAUL MEACHAM

AUG. 24 Guests were invited to sip Moët & Chandon cocktails and savor St. Neo’s Brasserie oysters at the Bubbles and Pearls soirée at the Drayton Hotel, benefiting Park Place Outreach.

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SEEN

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Greg and Erika Finch

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Eric and Holly Hutchinson

Chris and Cori Williams, and Jim King

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Andre Amyot and Isabelle Guillemette

Carol and Bob Letcher

Photography by PAUL MEACHAM

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Richard Kessler cuts the ceremonial ribbon

Richard Kessler and former Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson

Richard Kessler and Terry Allen

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The lobby features a 135-foot chrome dinosaur

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Racing to Preserve Culture Written by JESSICA LEIGH LEBOS

AS A YOUNG GIRL in Petersburg, Virginia, Dr. Deborah Johnson-Simon didn’t have much exposure to museums or other cultural institutions. “I grew up in a Confederate state during segregation,” the Savannah State University adjunct professor says with a shrug. “I wasn’t even allowed to go to the library.”

Such injustice did not tamp her interests, however. When she was 13, after a move to Maryland, she would “hook school” and sneak into the Baltimore Museum of Art, where she wasn’t barred but wasn’t exactly made to feel welcome, either. As an

Photography by DEZHANE LURK

adult, her love of museums led her to volunteer wherever she could, eventually landing a position as a docent and servant reenactor at Baltimore’s 1840 House. All along, she quietly noticed the lack of African American art exhibits and cultural installations, a dearth of “deep, abiding stories that study ourselves.” Even if scholarship centered on Black culture, it tended to overgeneralize and eclipse nuances. “Within every culture there is diversity, and who is more diverse than Black people who have been part of the diaspora?”

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FROM LEFT: A display at the Beach Institute African-American Cultural Center; entrance to the Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum; a portrait of Virginia Kiah; A display at the Beach Institute AfricanAmerican Cultural Center

she wondered.

In the early 1980s, newly divorced with two children almost raised, Johnson-Simon enrolled in college, going on to earn a master’s degree from Arizona State University and then a PhD from University of Florida in cultural anthropology with a focus on museum studies. Her research focused on the Association of African American Museums Association’s 1983 Blacks in Museums Directory, a little-known catalog contain-

“Museums are the keepers of the culture.

My course study showed me that the Black ones were left off the academic landscape.” —Dr. Deborah Johnson-Simon ing names and addresses — and not much else.

“Museums are the keepers of the culture. My course study showed me that the Black ones were left off the academic landscape,” she explains. “My aim was to put a face and a story on every institution and individual in that directory. I want Black museums to be part of the academic world.”

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In 2008, the cultural anthropologist served on a team that restored the Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum in Baltimore, the first museum in Maryland to honor an African American woman, now part of Morgan State University. In 2011, Johnson-Simon’s academic career brought her to Savannah, where she enrolled to earn a second master’s from Savannah State and stayed on to teach. Here, she also investigated Kiah House, the only Savannah museum in the Blacks in Museums Directory, established by local educators and civic leaders Calvin and Virginia Kiah in 1959. Known as the “Museum for the Masses,” Kiah House brought art and culture to the Cuyler-Brownville neighborhood from the 1960s until Virginia Kiah’s death in 2001. Inspired by the restoration of the Lillie Carroll Jackson museum, Johnson-Simon assumed similar efforts were underway in Savannah. But instead of a publicly supported restoration project, she found a crumbling, two-story house with peeling paint and boarded-up windows.

Johnson-Simon set to work to preserve the Kiah House legacy by collecting stories and interviewing neighbors and church members, and, recently, she completed a successful crowdfunding campaign to put a historical marker at the site. “It stands as a model of what happens when we don’t do the work,” she says ruefully. “The house itself might never get restored.

But at the very least, it needs to be documented that at this place, there was a museum where Black people learned about their heritage.”

Now 70, Johnson-Simon continues her work through her own African Diaspora Museology Institute, hosting genealogy and writing workshops at The Beach Institute African-American Cultural Center. She encourages people to tell their stories, adding to the cultural fabric that will one day be studied by others.

“It’s a race to get things down,” observes the indefatigable researcher. But, for Johnson-Simon, “It’s still about preservation.”

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